At Carl Lindner's office Friday afternoon, Dr. Randall Wolf (right) shows Lindner the working end of the da Vinci robot arm. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

A gift in excess of $1.5 million from business executive Carl Lindner will position Cincinnati as a prominent center for surgical research and development in the country.

The contribution means:

Dr. Randall K. Wolf returns to Cincinnati to lead the University of Cincinnati's new Center for Surgical Innovation. This center will focus on patient care and the research and development of new surgical techniques and devices. Wolf will treat patients and conduct research. He will also serve on the faculty of UC's College of Medicine and School of Engineering to train physicians and biomedical engineers.

Two da Vinci robot surgical systems will come to Cincinnati. One will be used strictly to treat patients at University Hospital. The second will be used for research purposes at the new surgical center.

More cooperative research can be conducted by university's doctors and biomedical engineers and local medical research companies. Their joint goal: Develop and market new devices and techniques and improve patient care. Such partnerships could serve as magnets for other medical research companies and top-notch researchers.